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Cayde-6

Cayde-6

Character Lore

Welcome back everyone. Today’s episode will explore the backstory of a charming, charismatic, daring, rule-breaking Exo hunter and Vanguard leader, Cayde-6. Many of you are already familiar with Cayde’s reluctant rise to Hunter Vanguard following a lost bet and the death of his good friend and previous Hunter Vanguard Andal Brask. However, what you may not be aware of the events that took place before Cayde became an Exo.

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This video will primarily focus on Cayde’s journal entries that are provided with the Taken King Collector’s edition. I have to admit, I had not read these entries previously and it completely changes my opinion on the creation of the Exos. The speculation I presented in the Exo Stranger video would likely have been completely different if I had read these entries first. I am not too sure what to think now regarding the Exos and their creation so please feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts.

Let’s begin.

Inside the journal there is a hand written note from Cayde, explaining that this is his journal and that he wanted you to find it. There are also a number of other interesting items within the book; a black and white drawing, of what I assume to be Saturn’s icy moon, Europa, playing cards, including a Jack of Spades and a Queen of Spades, a Strange Coin and a Sleeper Simulant diagram with treasure map on the back. For those who are new to Destiny, the treasure map revealed a unique code that unlocks an unique emblem. As for the other items, they are significant to Cayde’s story and I will bring them up as the video progresses.

Inside the journal we find, hand written notes from Cayde that document his memories prior to becoming an Exo. He describes his memories as playing cards that have been reshuffled and put back into play, hands that he has already won and lost. Cayde comments that most Exo’s try to forget, “let the itch go unscratched”, however Cayde is determined to uncover his memories.

I believe that Cayde may even be using playing cards to actively hold on to his memories. The easter egg in the mission, Cayde’s Stash, reveals that the playing cards have significance to Cayde and some even act like a memory prompt, helping him keep track of everything. Royal cards general represent weapons, with the exception of Hearts which represents the girl he fell in love with. Whilst, in general the cards indicate the location of hidden weapon caches, I also like to think that Cayde’s playing cards have a greater significance to him. As he probes his memory, and discovers more about his past life, he assigns playing cards to that memory in the hope that he won’t forget.

Whilst completely speculative, I like to think it would be a really clever explanation to why Cayde gambles, every time he gambles over a card game and draws a new hand, the cards prompt forgotten memories and he is flooded with visions of previous life.

The initial journal entries in the book are thought to confirm Cayde as a human. Specifically there is a reference to his “heart knocking” and in addition there is a diagram of a half human half Exo figure. During this time period, Cayde’s job is not specifically mentioned, however he appears to be related to security work. Whilst completing a job for Clovis Bray, a research corporation, things don’t go to plan and Cayde has to let his rifle do the talking. This results in damage to Clovis Bray property.

It appears that this is not the first time Cayde has damaged expensive structures as he briefly mentions debt relating to an orbital station. Clovis Bray sends Cayde a letter, however it is not just a bill for his accumulated debt but a job offer, one that if Cayde accepts, Clovis will forgive all of his debts.

Clovis Bray is the name of person but also the same name as the research facility on Mars in the city of Freehold. As you walk through the ruins of Mars, you likely have seen the Clovis Bray symbols and logos; Clovis Bray: ExoScience. This has led many to believe that Clovis Bray was involved with the creation of the Exos and the job offer for Cayde was part of an experiment to become an Exo. If he agrees to become an Exo they will wipe his debt.

It would not be unreasonably to argue that Clovis Bray was involved in the creation of the Exos. In fact, the next paragraph in Cayde’s journal may add more evidence to this and actually disprove my previous theory that I presented in the Exo Stranger video.

It says, “Saturn. No, someplace else. Someplace colder. This moon has been almost completely converted, a sarcophagus of ice and iron. Stone towers rung round with glaciers, rooted deep within a heart of snow. I came here flesh and bone. Gave everything to the ice. Started over. Rebooted.”

Many would argue that this was the job offer from Clovis Bray, Cayde travelled to one of Saturn’s icy moons, which I believe is Europa and became an Exo. He says that he started as flesh and bone but gave everything to the ice. The hand drawing in the journal confirms the icy location.

The reference to “Stone tower” and “sarcophagus”, instantly reminds of me of the Titan Mark “Deep Stone Crypt”. The definition of sarcophagus and crypt are very similar, both involving burials.

Is this the actual place that Deep Stone Crypt is speaking about, stone towers on Europa, the burial site of the physical body of the person before they became an Exo.

I do believe a subscriber has mentioned this to me in the past, however unfortunately I could not find the comment to acknowledge you. However, this is an example of how subscriber comments influence my videos. If this theory is true, it destroys my previous theory, that the Deep Stone Crypt was a reference to the Vex Citadel and the virtual explorers. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments, which location does Deep Stone crypt represent, Europa or the Vex Citadel?

Further complicating this storyline, Maya Sundaresh is introduced into Cayde’s journal. Remember that Maya Sundaresh is a researcher for the Ishtar Collective, a rival to the Clovis Bray research facility. It appears that at the time of meeting Maya, Cayde has already been to Europa and become an Exo, however is still continuing with security work. This time he is protecting the Ishtar Collective. Here he meets, Maya Sundaresh and falls in love. However, he never confesses his love for Maya and in fact Maya does not even notice him. The easter egg I mentioned before, with reference to the Hearts playing cards, I believe is a reference to Maya Sundaresh.

You will know from my Exo stranger video that Maya Sundaresh was in love with another researcher called Chioma Esi. They were separated in their research and Chioma was on a planet called Hyperion. I did not really look into this before, but Hyperion is also a moon of Saturn, it is also a name of Greek Titan. I believe this planet has been previously referenced in the Ghost Fragment: Legends 2 card, which says,

“The Nine are ancient leviathan intelligences from the seas of Europa or the hydrocarbon pits of Titan.”

I find it extremely interesting that we have Clovis Bray conducting research, potentially creating Exos, on Saturn’s moon Europa and we also have the other major research facility the Istar Collective conducting research on a different Saturn moon, Hyperion.

What is so special about Saturn? Does it have something to do with The Nine? They were the rulers of the Jovian Colonies which did include Saturn. Plus, Cayde’s journal does include a strange coin, the accepted currency of Xur, Agent of the Nine.

In general, I get the impression that Clovis Bray and the Ishtar Collective where in direct competition to create the first Exo or some form of artificial intelligences and both set up facilities that were close to Saturn. Why they needed to be close to Saturn, I am not sure.

The last major entry in Cayde’s journal appears to be a firsthand recollection of the Collapse, yes, behind all the jokes and sarcasm Cayde-6 may have witnessed a truly horrific event.

It says this,

“sky is torn open and there’s nothing and nobody left in this ruined world but me and the boiling shadow all around. Whatever it is hits me before I can level my gun. Doesn’t matter. Tendrils of pain crawl over my splayed fingers, my outstretched arms, my shoulders, my neck, my screaming mouth as it consumes. I’m being enveloped. Everything is wrong. Primordial. My systems go sideways. All but my sensors. It wants me to witness this, the world. Its world now suffering in the black poison. I collapse. We all collapse.”

There are some more entries in Cayde’s book however I did not find them to be important to the lore. Whilst the video was meant to be about Cayde, once again we have discovered some important information about the Exos. So where does this leave us, do I still think that Maya Sundaresh is the Exo Stranger, or does Cayde’s journal entries squash this theory, primarily the Europa reference and Cayde’s transformation into an Exo on Europa?

I will leave you to answer that question, haha, classic teacher move when I don’t know the answer. As usual it has been pleasure, this is Myelin Games. Peace.